Canter relieved he quit clashes with Murray

Birkdale qualifier tells Daniel Zeqiri why giving up a promising tennis career served him well ‘In tennis they ask you to make very big life decisions when you’re very young’

Had he decided against picking up a golf club aged 14, Laurie Canter could have been a British hopeful at Wimbledon instead of preparing diligently for the Open Championship.

The 27-year-old made it to Royal Birkdale courtesy of a sudden death play-off at final qualifying stage, and hopes to banish memories of his only Open appearance in 2010 when he finished second-last.

A very promising tennis player in his youth, Canter points out that reports of a teenage duel with one Andy Murray have been greatly exaggerated. “It’s been elaborated slightly,” says Canter.

“I was a national tennis player but I played in a county match effectively, under-14s, and my team played against his team. I was playing No2 for Avon county and he was No1 for, I guess, East of Scotland? [It was actually North of Scotland.] So he was just a part of the team.”

Because both sports have a reputation, deserved or otherwise, for snobbery, golf and tennis lend themselves to comparison. The number of players at elite level suggests British, and particularly English, golf is in ruder health than tennis.

There are 28 Englishmen in the field at Royal Birkdale, and seven in the top 50 of golf ’s world rankings. Murray aside, there are only four British men in the tennis top 100.

Canter was put off by the demands tennis placed on him at a young age, but also feels the sport needs a shift in mentality to harden youngsters.

The Cumberwell Park pro says: “I can only speak from my experience. They [tennis] ask you to make some very big life decisions when you’re very young – at 14 or 15. I was being asked to drop GCSES. I think the longer you can stay in education when you’re younger, the better.”

Canter adds: “I don’t know if in tennis people go a little soft a little early. They’re made to feel like the dog’s b------- at age 16 or 17 when, in reality, they’d be beaten heavily by Europeans or Americans.

“That kind of culture of big fish in small pond – you really have to get a grip of that early in life. You realise that in most sports worldwide there are people with phenomenal talent. I certainly think golf has opened my eyes to that.” Few experiences were as eye-opening as Canter’s only Open start at St Andrews seven years ago.

Only Welsh player Simon Edwards finished below him as a two-round total of 16-over meant he missed the cut.

Still an amateur at the time, Canter struggled to deal with such a chastening experience at the Home of Golf, ducking into a portable toilet on the 12th hole on the verge of tears. Refreshingly, in an era of “taking the positives” and unrelenting optimism in the face of the facts, Canter vows to keep the memory fresh in his mind.

“No, you’ve got to use it as a learning and a growing experience – otherwise it’s wasted,” he says. “There are a couple of little things I picked up: I’m trying to be a little bit smarter in how I do things and how I practise.

“Obviously, it was a tough week but hopefully one I can learn from not just for this week but down the line.”

With its narrow fairways and only one par-four under 400 yards, Royal Birkdale is completely different to the St Andrews course where Canter floundered.

Moreover, he has missed only two cuts this year, finished in the top 20 twice in South Africa. Though still to win on tour, Canter has no regrets about his time in tennis, and has even advised young golfers to pursue a second sport.

“I started golf when I was 14, so pretty late really,” he says. “I think to be honest, specialising early, especially in a sport like golf, a lot of people get burnt out.

“I remember there were lots of good juniors around when I was 16, 17, 18 coming through, and they’re not even still playing golf.

“This isn’t true for everyone, but even the guys who are really good at golf, I’d encourage them to keep playing other sports. Especially the way golf has gone now, with everyone being a bit more athletic.”

Canter’s Open begins in the final group tomorrow, alongside Australian Ryan Mccarthy and Colombian Sebastian Munoz.